Nokia's N81 shows up in FCC, gives Americans hope

While the N81 has managed to capture the hearts of many thus far, we Americans have been forced to look longingly at it as we wonder if it will ever come to our shores. Thankfully, it seems that there's at least a glimmer of hope, as the sexy handset managed to wind up on the FCC's website, although the documentation has since been removed. Nevertheless, this ought to mean that the handset is well on its way to being sold in US outlets, so why don't you give those hands-on pictures a more serious glance till we find out more, cool?

[Image courtesy of SolNew]

[Dale @ Sep 18th 2007 11:25AM]

Why does it mean the handset is going to be sold in the US just because it was on the FCC site? All of Nokia's phones get FCC approval, not just ones sold in NA

[Pablo @ Sep 18th 2007 11:29AM]

no US 3 = not worth whatever they're charging for it

[Pablo @ Sep 18th 2007 11:30AM]

edit: no US 3G = not worth whatever they're charging for it, sorry

[Aleksi @ Sep 18th 2007 11:42AM]

This would be damn nice suprise thought might take too long till it would arive here or if it will even come here at all.

[Aleksi @ Sep 18th 2007 11:43AM]

Please please come here with 3G and i hope it wont take too long.

[Greg @ Sep 18th 2007 11:55AM]

BGR has a new hands on gallery and I'm not liking the changes they've made.

It was between this and the iPhone. Now, with the price drop and the unlock, I guess I'm going that way :\

[jptech @ Sep 18th 2007 2:41PM]

As an N80IE owner, I can say this N81 is one sexy bitch!

the N80 is so fat and chunky. The battery life is dismal, a 5 series battery!

I love that they've put buttons on the earpiece and now it has 8GB internal memory! Great stuff.

If I could afford it, I'd buy it today. I might have to sell my N80IE.

[Jouke90 @ Sep 18th 2007 5:12PM]

Don't count on it. The American cellphone-market is like 1-2 years behind on the european cellphone market,so maybe in a few years something like this will be availabele in America. Oh, I forgot, you've got the overpriced Iphone.

[Montusama @ Sep 18th 2007 8:42PM]

is this an updated N80?

[mike henschke @ Sep 18th 2007 10:48PM]

I could see this coming to AT&T since the N75 has been placed on the phase out list...

[Daniel @ Sep 18th 2007 11:37PM]

Hey Engadget. The manual is on the FCC page (available since 09/18/2007). It says "The 2100 MHz UMTS is not used in North America and has been turned off in your device. To activate the 2100 MHz
UMTS frequency for use outside North America, select Menu > Tools > Settings > Phone > Network > Network Mode > Dual Mode." on page 9 of the manual.

So it sounds like its coming to the US. It even supports UPnP, looks like a winner to me.